Mayor of Istanbul

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Mayor of Istanbul
İstanbul Büyükşehir Belediye Başkanı
Nuri Aslan IBB.jpg
Incumbent
Nuri Aslan
Acting  
since 26 March 2025
Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality
Style None, de facto full (given and family) name. [1]
Term length Five years, renewable
Inaugural holderPepe Salih Paşa
(Ottoman Empire)
Haydar Yuluğ
(Republic of Turkey)
Formation13 July 1855
11 July 1958
26 March 1984
(As Metropolitan Municipality)
Website ibb.istanbul

The mayor of Istanbul is the head of the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality. The mayor is elected popularly every five years. Nuri Aslan has served as interim mayor of Istanbul since 26 March 2025.

Contents

This article covers the Ottoman Empire to the modern day Republic of Turkey, during the Ottoman period and in the Republican era until c. 1930.

Ottoman Empire

During 1453–1858

In the Ottoman Empire, the duty of municipal government was the responsibility of the "Şehremini", a mayor-like leader, and local religious judges, "Kadı".

The first mayor of Istanbul after the conquest on May 29, 1453 was Hızırbey Çelebi. Until 1858, the capital of the Ottoman Empire was governed by a total of 422 kadis.

Tanzimat period (1858–1876)

The idea to establish a municipality organization based on Western standards was first discussed in 1854 during the Crimean War when diplomats and journalists of allied nations came to Constantinople. Later, the parliament accepted a law for the establishment of the office of a mayor and a city council.

Salih Paşa received the first title of the new, modern Şehremini on July 13, 1858, and governed until November 4, 1858. During the Tanzimat period, 18 mayors took office.

First constitutional monarchy (1876–1908)

In 1876, as First constitutional monarchy was proclaimed, Kadri Paşa was the mayor of Constantinople. During this period 10 mayors governed Constantinople.

Second constitutional monarchy (1908–1923)

During the reign of Young Turks, between 1908–1918 and until the foundation of the republic, 23 mayors served in the capital.

Republic of Turkey

No.PortraitName
(Birth–Death)
Term of officePolitical partyNotes
Took officeLeft officeTime in office
Governors as mayors (1923–1960)
1 Haydar Yulug.jpg Haydar Yuluğ
(1878–1937)
15 April 19238 June 19241 year, 54 days CHP After the proclamation of the republic on October 29, 1923, the governor of the city was charged with the duties as deputy mayor.
2 Erkulseyitoglu Mehmet Emin Bey.jpg Emin Erkul
(1881–1964)
8 June 192412 October 19284 years, 126 days
3 Muhittin Ustundag.jpg Mühittin Üstündağ
(1884–1953)
14 October 19284 December 193810 years, 53 daysWith the municipality act of April 3, 1930, the title of mayor was abandoned and the governor of Istanbul province took over the duties of the mayor. The two separate councils of the province and the municipality were unified.
4 Mehmet Lutfi Kirdar.jpg Lütfi Kırdar
(1889–1961)
8 December 193816 October 194910 years, 312 days
5 Fahrettin Kerim Gökay
(1900–1987)
24 October 194926 October 19578 years, 2 days Independent The two councils were reestablished on March 1, 1957
Kemal Hadımlı
(1908–19??)
12 July 19575 October 195785 days DP Deputy Governor of Istanbul, appointed as acting mayor.
6 Mümtaz Tarhan
(1908–1970)
29 November 195711 May 1958163 days
7Ethem Yetkiner
(1912–1973)
14 May 195824 December 1958224 days
8Kemal Aygün
(1914–1979)
25 December 195827 May 19601 year, 154 days
Mayors during the military rule (1960–1963)
9Refik Tulga
(1907–1981)
27 May 1960 14 June 196018 days Military
10Şefik Erensü
(1912–1989)
14 June 196024 September 1960102 days
(9)Refik Tulga
(1907–1981)
24 September 196026 February 19621 year, 155 days
11Turan Ertuğ27 February 196216 March 196217 days(Deputy)
12Kamuran Görgün18 March 196230 January 1963318 days
Kadri İlkay30 January 196331 January 19631 day(Deputy)
Niyazi Akı
(1913–1992)
31 January 196328 February 196328 days(Deputy)
13 Necdet Uğur
(1923–2004)
28 February 19639 December 1963284 days
Elected mayors of Istanbul Municipality (1963–1980)
14 Hasim Iscan bustu.JPG Haşim İşcan
(1898–1968)
10 December 196311 March 19684 years, 92 days CHP The municipality act of July 27, 1963, enabled the election of the mayor. The polls held on November 17, 1963, were the first regional elections to elect the mayor.
Faruk Ilgaz
(1922–2014)
12 March 19686 June 196886 daysAP(Deputy)
15Fahri Atabey
(1913–1994)
8 June 19689 December 19735 years, 184 days
16 Ahmet İsvan
(1923–2017)
14 December 197311 December 19773 years, 362 days CHP
17 Aytekin Kotil
(1934–1992)
14 December 197712 September 19802 years, 273 days
Mayors during the military rule (1980–1984)
18 İsmail Hakki Akansel
(1924–2016)
12 September 1980 30 August 1981352 days Military
19 Ecmel Kutay
(1927–1998)
30 August 198124 March 1982206 days
20Abdullah Tırtıl
(1923–1996)
24 March 198226 March 19842 years, 2 days
Elected mayors of Istanbul Municipality (1984–present)
21 No image.png Bedrettin Dalan
(born 1941)
26 March 198428 March 19895 years, 2 days ANAP On March 8, 1984, the metropolitan municipality act was put into force and on March 23 the municipality of Greater Istanbul was established.
22 Nurettin Sozen at 30 August Celebrations (cropped).jpg Nurettin Sözen
(born 1937)
28 March 198927 March 19944 years, 364 days SHP
23 Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Turkish Prime Minister, in Brussels (cropped).jpg Recep Tayyip Erdoğan
(born 1954)
27 March 19946 November 19984 years, 224 days RP/FP Elected in the 1994 election. Sacked after being sentenced to 10 months in jail. [2]
24 Ali Mufit Gurtuna (cropped).png Ali Müfit Gürtuna
(born 1952)
12 November 199828 March 20045 years, 137 days FP
(until 2001)
Elected by the city council. [3]
Independent
(from 2001)
25 Kadir Topbas at 38th Istanbul Vodafone Marathon (2) cropped.jpg Kadir Topbaş
(1945–2021)
28 March 200422 September 201713 years, 179 days AKP Re-elected twice (in 2009 and 2014). Resigned at the request of AKP and incumbent President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. [4]
26 Mevlut Uysal (cropped).jpg Mevlüt Uysal
(born 1966)
22 September 201717 April 20191 year, 207 days AKP Elected by the city council. [5]
27 Ekrem Imamoglu June 8 2022.jpg Ekrem İmamoğlu
(born 1970)
17 April 20196 May 201919 days CHP Elected in the March 2019 election. Election annulled by the Supreme Electoral Council (YSK) on 6 May 2019.
Ali Yerlikaya and Johannes Hahn in Turkey (cropped).jpg Ali Yerlikaya
(born 1968)
Acting
7 May 201927 June 201951 days Independent Governor of Istanbul, appointed as acting mayor.
(27) Ekrem Imamoglu June 8 2022.jpg Ekrem İmamoğlu
(born 1970)
27 June 201923 March 20255 years, 351 days CHP Re-elected in the June 2019 re-run election and 2024 Turkish local elections.
Nuri Aslan IBB.jpg Nuri Aslan
(born 1969)
Acting
26 March 2025Incumbent79 days CHP Elected by the city council to serve as acting mayor. [6]

See also

References

  1. "Başkan". ibb.istanbul (in Turkish). Retrieved 2023-04-09.
  2. "Erdoğan'ın başkanlığı hukuken bitti". 8 November 1998.
  3. "İstanbul'a yeni başkan". 13 November 1998.
  4. İSTANBUL, Fatma AKSU / (23 September 2017). "Kadir Topbaş istifa etti.. Ak Parti'nin yeni başkan adayı o mu olacak?". www.hurriyet.com.tr.
  5. "Son dakika: İBB Başkanlığı'na Mevlüt Uysal seçildi!". Sabah.
  6. "Istanbul Municipality elects acting mayor - Türkiye News". Hürriyet Daily News. 2025-03-26. Retrieved 2025-03-26.